Multiple suspected hideouts of Pakistani Taliban inside Afghanistan were targeted by Pakistani airstrikes early Monday, following a series of coordinated attacks and a suicide bombing that claimed the lives of seven soldiers in the northwest, according to two security officials.
A government official from the Afghan interim administration confirmed on Monday that there have been strikes in the provinces of Paktika and Khost along the Pakistan border. The official also stated that eight individuals lost their lives in these incidents.
Pakistan Strikes in Afgjhanistan
No comment was immediately provided by Pakistan's military, while the Taliban government in Afghanistan criticized the strikes, which are expected to escalate tension between the neighboring countries.
According to AP News, Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson of the Afghan rulers said Pakistani aircraft were responsible for the airstrikes.
Claiming that houses belonging to ordinary citizens were specifically targeted, he reported that three women and three children lost their lives in Paktika. Additionally, a house collapsed, resulting in the deaths of two women in Khost, where another house was also destroyed.
The strikes occurred the day after President Asif Ali Zardari promised to take action in response to the tragic loss of seven soldiers, including two officers, in a terrorist attack on a security forces' post in North Waziristan.
While paying tribute to the fallen officers, he emphasized that their sacrifice would not be forgotten and that the nation would seek justice for their deaths. The president emphasized Pakistan's firm stance on self-defense, stating that any attack on its borders or within its territory would be met with a strong response.
A group has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack. According to security officials, the Gul Bahadar group's fighters are primarily based in Khost on the Afghan side of the border.
Paktika province is in close proximity to Pakistan's South Waziristan District, while Khost is situated near North Waziristan.
Mujahid asserted that according to the Pakistani side, Abdullah Shah was allegedly targeted in the strikes, despite residing on their side.
Members of the same tribe reside on both sides of the border and frequently travel between the two areas. He expressed his strong condemnation of the attacks, describing them as insignificant actions and a violation of Afghanistani territory.
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan Attacks
A based security expert, Syed Muhammad Ali, stated that the strikes on Monday were a response to a string of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attacks, with particular emphasis on the one that occurred on Saturday in Mir Ali, resulting in the deaths of an army lieutenant colonel and captain.
According to the source, the Pakistani strikes occurred just one day after Zardari vowed to respond with force.
"It also indicates that Pakistan's patience for the Afghan interim government's continued hospitality for terrorists conducting frequent attacks on Pakistan from inside Afghanistan has finally run out," he said.
The Pakistani Taliban and the Afghanistan Taliban have formed a close alliance. The Afghanistan Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, coinciding with the withdrawal of US and NATO troops.
The recent shift in power in Afghanistan has had a significant impact on the TTP, as their key figures and members have sought refuge in the country.
In recent years, there has been an increase in attacks within Pakistan, which has strained relations with the Afghan Taliban government. Despite their claims, the Taliban government in Afghanistan has not been able to prevent militant groups like TTP from launching attacks from its soil.
